MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / August 31, 1998

LAPLACE – The St. Charles Catholic Lady Comets volleyball team opened anew era Tuesday afternoon at the St. Charles Catholic Jamboree.The Lady Comets open the 1998 season with a new coach, Michelle Dearmitt, who comes to St. Charles Catholic from St. Louis Catholic inLake Charles. The team also features a host of new faces as only twostarters, Marci Martin and Shannon Dolive, return from last year’s squad that won the District 9-2A championship and advanced to the state semifinals.

Dearmitt said she has seen improvement in the team through its two scrimmages and the jamboree. She said the offense is a little different asthe Lady Comets play a 6-2 rather than the 5-1 of last season. But shesaid it is something that should be easier for the players to adjust to because it is something they have seen in the past with other teams.

Dearmitt said the jamboree was important because the opportunity it gives the players to see different opponents.

“It is an opportunity for them to actually apply what they have been drilled to do during practice,” Dearmitt said. “They get to see whetherthey have to adjust more and what contributions they have to make to the game. They are catching on and working together well.”St. Charles Catholic opened the jamboree against Lutcher, which also iscoming off a playoff appearance in 1997. The Lady Bulldogs jumped out toa 3-1 as the Lady Comets committed three attack errors off of serves by Tiffany Griffin. A kill by Holly Hymel gave the Lady Bulldogs a 5-1 lead.The Lady Comets rallied with Nicole Scontrino serving. An ace byScontrino and two attack errors by Lutcher would cut the deficit to 6-4.

The Lady Comets would take the lead two serves later as Sarah Weber delivered consecutive aces. After the Lady Bulldogs tied the game, Dolivegave St. Charles catholic the lead with a spike inside the back line. A killby Cristin Clement gave the Lady Comets the game at 10-7.

Lutcher would come back to defeat Reserve Christian, 10-5, and St.

Martin’s, 10-2, in the jamboree. Lutcher coach Denise Riley said she waspleased with the team’s performance and is looking forward to another successful year.

“We looked fine,” Riley said. “We need to work on our serve but it was agood practice for us. I am pleased with them. We lost our big hitter(Shanda Johnson) and setter (Brandy Neal) but the potential is there.”The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-0 lead against Reserve Christian.

Cindy Guidry spiked the ball across the court and Brooke Delaneuville spiked a free ball at the net to give the Lady Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. That leadwould grow to 6-0 on consecutive kills by Delaneuville.

After Reserve Christian pulled to within 6-4, the Lady Bulldogs took advantage of two attack errors and a kill by Guidry to take a 9-4 lead.

Hahnville, which also advanced to the state tournament in 1997, opened its season against St. Charles Catholic. A block and a dunk by Liz Landrygave the Lady Tigers a 2-1 lead. The Lady Comets rallied behind two killseach by Dolive and Martin to take a 5-2 lead. An ace by Krista Danos and ablock and kill by Dolive increased the lead to 9-4.

The Tigers came back with blocks by Jackie Whitmer and Landry and an attack error by the Lady Comets to pull to within 9-6 before the Lady Comets closed out the match.

Hahnville would defeat St. Martin’s, 10-7, before closing out the jamboreewith a 10-1 loss to St. Charles Catholic. Hahnville coach Mendi LeBoeufsaid her team needs more consistent but that she has seen improvement in the squad that returns just two starters from a year ago.

“I have seen a lot of improvement,” LeBoeuf said. “Early on in our twoscrimmages and the jamboree, I have seen good things in spurts. Withexperience, we will do things more consistently.”

Return To News Stories

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher